USPS vs. UPS Trial Period

Today’s Blog is an update on our shipping process. Offering our customers FREE SHIPPING on orders over $50 is very important to us. We absorb the shipping cost on these items as a thank you for your business. However, the cost to us is still very real. Like any other small business, we have to watch expenses and try to minimize them so that we can continue to offer you discounts such as this. So every penny counts.

We have been shipping by the United States Postal Service for about 3 years and it has had its ups and downs. Periodic lost packages, delays, technical USPS issues and other frustrations. The yearly price increases in postage fees is a given and something we know is coming every year.

We have ever increasing “organic” costs on our certified organic oils. We use extra virgin organic olive oil. The entire olive oil market has been suffering a shortage since the beginning of the summer and our cost for olive oil increased 15% in 3 month’s time. (OUCH!). We have worked out a freight deal with UPS to minimize the shipping cost given the increase in the raw material costs.

In an attempt to minimize any product price increases, we are evaluating all options. We have joined their small business program and all packages shipped over the next two weeks will be evaluated in terms of shipping expense. UPS is offering us savings in package processing “time”, so we are putting it to the test.

For the next two weeks, when you checkout on the website, you will only be offered the UPS option. Yes you will still only pay $7.95 if your order is under $50. UPS will be shipping your package instead of USPS. We will evaluate the results at the end and see where we stand.

This is just one step to keeping costs down so that we can offer you a reasonable price on soaps with certified organic content. We will not compromise on quality, change or cheapen our ingredients.

We would love feedback from you on your experience with either USPS or UPS as we evaluate options further. So please share your thoughts!